Posts tagged Shimmer
Christmas Swap Box with +10 Kapow
1I absolutely love putting together gift boxes for people, and of course I love surprises myself, so a little while ago I suggested to Chrissie of +10 Kapow that we do a Christmas Swap, and luckily she was up for the idea! We decided on a budget of £20, and agreed to fill a shoebox with little gifts that we thought the other would like. I had a lot of fun searching for items to give to Chrissie, and after a few weeks of browsing, buying and wrapping, the box was ready to send. Our deadline for posting was 5th December, and last week we each received our box of goodies!
As both of us are impatient we decided to open and blog about our gifts before Christmas, so without further ado, here’s what I received!
As you can see, my swap from Chrissie came beautifully packaged. The box itself is stunning, and puts the cardboard one I sent her to shame! I’ll definitely be using it to store things in, probably rings or nail varnishes.
There were eight wrapped gifts in the box, including a jewellery box which I was really excited about. I hurriedly unwrapped everything, and was delighted with all that Chrissie sent. I must say she chose well! Here’s what I got…
The first gift is this Baked Merged Trio Eyeshadow from MUA, in shade ‘Emotions’. All three shades have a slight shimmer to them, and are impressively pigmented. The neutral tones are perfect for a daytime look, and I can see myself using these shades a lot for a work make up look, although with some dramatic eyeliner they could easily be dressed up.
My lips get very dry at this time of year, so finding this Nivea Lip Butter in the box was much appreciated! The lip butter feels lovely and nourishing, and smells amazing too, like vanilla and macadamia. This has now become a winter essential for me and comes everywhere with me.
I spotted this Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter when browsing The Body Shop website a few weeks, and was really intrigued by it, so as you can imagine I was pleased to find this in the box too! I use body butters on a daily basis and have done for years, so this was very well chosen, and is incredibly moisturising. The Glazed Apple scent is lovely too – fruity, but also sweet and creamy.
Yet another product that I’ve been wanting to try – MUA Luxe Velvet Lips! This shade is called ‘Serene’, and is a dark peach shade with a pink undertone. It’s very highly pigmented, has a creamy texture so applies beautifully, and is long-lasting. I like it, and aesthetically, I also like the frosted tube.
This awesome keyring is triple awesome – it’s Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which I’ve loved since I was a kid, he’s a rat, and it’s lego! I’m going to hang this from my bag because I’m cool like that. Isn’t he fab?!
Chrissie made this galaxy necklace herself, and it’s my favourite item that she sent me. It’s really well made, and purple, pink and turquoise happen to be my favourite colours. I’ve been wearing it a lot since I got it, sometimes alone, but also layered with a couple of my other favourite necklaces, which I think looks great on a plain top.
Batman! A Batman ring! I’m sure it’s clear by now that I’m a big Batman fan, and this ring is absolutely fab. I really like how subtle it is, whilst also being super cool.
This pretty galaxy scarf has the same colour palette as the necklace Chrissie made, and is so soft and snuggly and warm. I’ve been wearing this lately to add a splash of colour to some of my darker winter outfits, and it seems to attract compliments!
Purple shades and holo effects are two of my favourite things to decorate my nails with, so this nail polish from Freckles Polish is perfect for me. The shade is called ‘I’ll Need Wine’, and is a rich purple colour, a bit like red wine, with a beautiful holo shimmer. Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of me wearing it, but it applies nicely and is stunning on – fabulous for the festive season. Chrissie recently sent me some stamping plates too, so I plan on creating some looks soon using them and this polish, which I’ll be posting about soon.
I’m really happy with everything Chrissie sent me (thanks Chrissie!), and I hope we can do another swap one day! To see what I sent Chrissie in return, you can check out her post here.
Have you taken part in any Christmas swaps this year? If so, what did you send/receive? I’d love to see your posts about it!
Naomi x
ResinSparkles Pendant and Ring
9I recently came across a great little Etsy store called ResinSparkles, which is owned by the lovely Sara. Sara creates unique pieces of jewellery out of resin and glitter, a lot of which have a fab geek-chic theme, with Dr Who, Star Wars, steampunk and comic books regularly featuring in her designs. Sara very kindly offered to send me a couple of pieces to review, and after browsing her store the magpie in me chose a Sparkly Ring and a Steampunk Clockwork Pendant.
Both pieces are really well made, and they are both very generous on the glitter. They’re so eye-catching, especially in the sun, and both make a real statement. They came packaged in cute matching gift bags too – perfect if you want to give them as a present (and trust me, the receiver would not be disappointed with their sparkly surprise).
The pendant comes on an 18″ silver coloured chain and is nice and lightweight, so though it’s a fairly big piece, it’s incredibly comfortable to wear and hangs well. I chose purple as it’s my favourite colour and this particular shade is stunning, but these pendants are available in a wide range of colours. I absolutely love the steampunk theme too, as the little cogs and metal bits suspended in the resin give it an added edge.
The ring I received has come to be known as my mermaid ring, as the layers of bright blue glitter are so pretty and remind me of a mermaid’s tail, or the surface of the sea sparkling in the sun (how romantic!). Like the pendant, the dome of the ring is quite large so really stands out, and it sits securely on a silver coloured adjustable metal band. I have quite slim fingers so it best fits my index or middle fingers, which is where I prefer to wear rings anyway. These are also available in a wide range of shades, with some combining two different glitters.
Considering all of Sara’s pieces are handmade and great quality, they’re also very affordable. The pendants are £7.50 each including the chain, and the rings are just £3.50. So, if you’re a fan of sparkle, or know someone else who is, be sure to check out ResinSparkles on Etsy, and on Twitter.
Naomi x
*These pieces were sent to me by ResinSparkles for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
NOTD: GOSH ‘Frosted Plum’
5You may remember that at the beginning of January I swatched and reviewed a gorgeous glitter varnish from GOSH’s Frosted Sand collection, called ‘Frosted Purple‘. Well, it officially became one of my favourite varnishes of all time, and I couldn’t wait to add more frosted shades to my collection. In particular I was trying to get hold of ‘Frosted Plum’, but the only bottle in my local Superdrug for months was a damaged one. Then, earlier this week, I noticed that they had a few more in stock, and luckily for me all of GOSH’s varnishes were on offer for £1.99 each! Obviously I bought it straight away and applied it when I got home, so today I thought I’d share the swatches with you.
Like its purple counterpart, ‘Frosted Plum’ is a pleasure to apply, looks opaque in just one coat (although I applied two), and dries really quickly. It’s also rather hard-wearing, and stays put for a good few days without chipping, even without a base or top coat.
The best thing about it though is the colour. The base shade, as you’d expect, is a beautiful deep plum purple, but throughout it are flecks of gold, bronze and bright pink, which give it a brilliant depth. It looks absolutely amazing in the sun, and even indoors it still looks impressive. The glitter in this one is a lot more consistently sized than in ‘Frosted Purple’, and I think it looks a bit like a caviar manicure.
Outdoors
I’ll stand by my previous statement that GOSH’s Frosted Sand glitters are honestly the best glitters I’ve tried, and I will continue to add to my collection! I have my eye on a couple of their spring pastel shades, ‘Soft Blue’ and ‘Soft Green’, which are also currently £1.99 in Superdrug (reduced from £3.99).
Will you be buying any of GOSH’s frosted glitters?
Naomi x
What I Wore: Purple Knit
2Yesterday was a fairly mild day for December, so my fiancé and I decided to take advantage of the Autumn sun and go for a little wander around the lakes with my camera. Whilst we were there, we took the opportunity to take some ‘What I Wore’ photos, featuring my new oversized purple cardigan from Primark.
Primark Purple Knit Cardigan / Primark Plain Black Vest / Primark Leather Look Leggings / Dr Martens 1460 W Purple Shimmer Boots / eBay Multi-Layer Leaf Necklace
I was really quite pleased with this Primark find as I’d been looking for a big cardi for weeks, but hadn’t been having much luck finding one I liked. In fact, after a lengthy browse I was ready to give up on Primark, but as I was about to leave I spotted a sale rack with this gorgeous cardigan on it. Admittedly, quite a few of them were cut weirdly and I had to try a few on to get one that fit right, but I’m glad I persisted, especially as it was reduced from £12 to only £5!
The cardigan is lovely and chunky, so I wore it over a plain black vest and my leather look leggings, and still felt cosy and warm. Of course, I had to team it with my trusty purple Dr Martens, and added a multi-layer leaf necklace for a bit of extra detail. A simple outfit for a chilled out day, which ended perfectly with nachos and quesadillas, doughnuts and Breaking Bad!
What did you wear this weekend?
Naomi x
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Snakebite
8If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in the world of beauty blogging it’s that Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes are extremely popular, so much so that reviews of the palettes seem to take precedent over the brand’s single eyeshadows. So, when Lookfantastic gave me the opportunity to try an Urban Decay eyeshadow, I was intrigued to find out whether bloggers are missing out on a little gem in choosing palettes over singles.
Urban Decay’s range of eyeshadows features 68 shades in every colour you can imagine, all of which have fun, creative names. From nudes and browns, to blues, pinks, purples and even black, there’s something for everybody, so if the combined shades in the palettes aren’t for you, you can pick and choose the singles and build up a personalised collection of colours.
The shade I received is called Snakebite – a bronze brown with a slight shimmer which is ideal for day wear on its own.
I’m a sucker for beautiful packaging (as long as the product inside lives up to it), and Urban Decay’s new design eyeshadows are definitely pleasant to look at. The shadow comes encased in a silver-toned circular pot which looks very chic, and is apparently inspired by NYC subway tokens – a brilliant cultural touch. Even the textured purple box is lovely!
The eyeshadow itself has a velvety soft feel which translates onto the skin for a flawless, smooth finish. When I first used Snakebite I was slightly worried that my eyeshadow brush wasn’t picking up much of the product, but when I applied it I was pleasantly surprised. The eyeshadow is very highly pigmented, so what looked like a little went a very long way, and it didn’t take much to build up decent coverage.
The only issue I have with the eyeshadow is that the powder sits quite loosely on the brush, meaning it makes quite a mess with the excess falling onto my cheeks during application. However, this is easily sorted with a quick sweep of a spare clean brush!
Here’s how the eyeshadow looks on the skin…
Perhaps the biggest test of a good eyeshadow is how long it lasts, and Urban Decay’s eyeshadow lasts an impressively long time. The first time I wore Snakebite I wore it without an eyelid primer, yet it still lasted all afternoon with no fading, and it didn’t gather in the creases or smudge at all. I just love that you can wear this eyeshadow without having to worry about touching it up throughout the day!
Overall, from packaging to product this little eyeshadow oozes quality and I really, really like it. If you love the Urban Decay palettes then I’d highly recommend you try the singles too! You can find the full range of Urban Decay’s gorgeous little eyeshadows here at Lookfantastic, and they cost £14.00 each.
Naomi x
*This Urban Decay Eyeshadow was sent to me by Lookfantastic/The Hut Group for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish in Ultra Violet
9On my birthday I got quite a few bottles of nail varnish, and the one I chose to wear on the day was this one from my mum – Layla Hologram Effect in Ultra Violet. I’ve always liked the look of hologram nail varnishes but have never got round to buying one myself, so I was very pleased to see this in my pile of presents, especially as it’s my favourite colour. Thanks mum!
Layla isn’t a brand that I’m familiar with, but according to their website they are based in Milan, Italy, and sell a wide range of make up as well as nail products.
This varnish has a fairly thick consistency, but it comes with a decent brush so applies easily and evenly, and despite the glittery look dries smooth to the touch. However, it does take a little while to dry, and if you attempt to apply the second coat whilst the first is still sticky it can cause some streaking, so it’s best to be patient with application if you want to achieve neat coverage! It only takes two coats to create an opaque finish, which is always my test of a good quality varnish, and this one passes.
In the bottle, Ultra Violet looks a dusky purple colour with an undertone of grey, but on the nails it looks slightly paler. However, once you’re in the right light the hologram effect really comes alive, and it’s impressively strong! The hologram looks 3D and shines a rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple in both natural and indoor light, and at the same time the glitter shimmers beautifully underneath. It’s difficult to put into words just how stunning this varnish is, so here are a few pictures of it in different lights to give you an idea…
No hologram effect.
Hologram effect without flash.
(It actually looks a lot more colourful than this in reality but it was difficult to capture on camera.)
Hologram effect with flash.
I have been wearing Ultra Violet for three days now, with a top coat, and it has lasted really well. The ends have started to chip today so I will probably remove the varnish soon, but other than that the coverage still looks neat and vibrant.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish as it is excellent quality and the hologram effect is powerful and very, very pretty. A lot better than the Boots 17 hologram varnish I’ve seen in reviews! The colour is a bit more interesting than the typical silver hologram too. If you’d like to try this range for yourself, it may be difficult to locate in shops, but Ultra Violet is available on Amazon here, and you can find other shades here.
Do you like the look of this varnish?
Naomi x
Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick and Double Wear Lip Pencil
1Last week my sister very kindly gave me two Estée Lauder make up products that she did not want – a Pure Color Shimmer Lipstick in Shade 16 ‘Candy’, and a Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil in ’01 Pink’. I think both were gifted to her from a gift set by her boyfriend’s mum, and they both came to me swatched once. I’d never tried Estée Lauder before so I was really pleased to receive these, despite having the preconception that the brand is generally aimed towards the more mature lady. As they always say, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
Both products are fairly small and compact, meaning they’re the perfect size to carry around with you in your handbag or make up bag. They’re both suitable for day wear too, at home or at the office, as they’re both a sensible pink shade – nothing too flashy but fairly classy. Here’s a (slightly wonky) swatch of both…
As you can see, the lip pencil is slightly darker than the lipstick, but they still go really well together as they have a similar red pigmentation, and I find a darker liner always makes for a more defined lip shape anyway.
Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil in Pink
When creating a look with these two products, I first applied the Double Wear Lip Pencil to the outline of my lips. The pencil is extremely creamy, so it doesn’t tug the skin, but it’s also firm and doesn’t make a mess, making even application very easy indeed. Due to its small size the pencil is easy to control too, and as such I was able to draw a soft line, rather than a solid, bold one, which is what I was aiming for. The pencil dries quickly once on the skin, and then stays in place for a good while. After swatching this on my hand it wouldn’t rub or wash off, but it came off straight away with make up remover which is a good sign.
The colour of the pencil is very pleasant – a lovely, blushing pink with amazing pigmentation; perfect for spring and a suitable match for a lot of my pink lipsticks! I’ll definitely be getting a lot of use out of this. Next time I may even apply it across my whole lip before applying the lipstick over the top, to give it even more staying power.
Pure Color Shimmer Lipstick in Candy
Candy is a gorgeous candy pink (it’s in the name) which is highly pigmented, and has an intense shimmer. I’m not usually one for wearing shimmery lipsticks as I think they can sometimes look a bit dated, but I actually quite like this one. The lipstick itself, like the liner, is beautifully creamy and glides on smoothly, disguising any imperfections on the surface of the lips. I found this quite unusual for a shimmery lipstick actually, as most I’ve tried have highlighted any dry areas. Once on the lips, Candy stays put, and thanks to the lip pencil doesn’t bleed or smudge, allowing for a long-lasting neat pout.
In terms of staying power, both of these Estée Lauder lip treats have it! I applied these in the morning during my normal make up routine, and after six or so hours of eating, drinking, talking and travelling, my lips still looked as bold and beautiful as they did when I first put on my make up. Impressive! After the six hours the lipstick did require a touch up though, so it wouldn’t quite last a full working day, but it’s not far off.
Overall, my first impressions of Estée Lauder are good. Both products are excellent quality, and have everything you’d want from a lipstick and liner – good colour, a nice formula and great staying power. I’ve done a bit of research and, full size, the Estée Lauder Double Wear Lip Pencils cost £16.00, and the Pure Color Lipsticks cost £19.50 each. Both are a little more than I’d be willing to pay, so I probably won’t be repurchasing, but they are definitely worth it if your budget can stretch to it.
Naomi x
Ciate Mini Mani Month Round-Up: Part 2
9Hi everyone,
Six days have already passed since my last Ciate Mini Mani Month post, can you believe it? The days are flying by and before we know it, it will soon be Christmas day! But for now, as promised, here is Part 2 of my Mini Mani Round-Up, featuring the surprises hidden behind advent calendar doors 7 to 12.
You may be pleased to know that I managed to swatch every single varnish this time, so you can get a more accurate feel for what each one is really like. As usual, they all have that deliciously creamy signature Ciate formula, which applies evenly, dries quickly and is extremely chip resistant. Here they all are in their bottles…
Day 7 – Cutie Pie
Cutie Pie is a pretty, feminine, powdery pale pink shade with a creme finish. I usually prefer bold, bright varnishes to pastels, but this one really is quite lovely and clean-looking. The above look was achieved using two coats of varnish and it’s still quite sheer, but I think three would be plenty enough for a more opaque appearance.
Day 8 – Vintage
Vintage is my favourite varnish from this week. It’s a deep grey colour, but it has a tinge of greeny blue to it which makes it more unusual than most greys. I got so many compliments about my nails on the day I wore this. I have a feeling I’ll be getting a lot of wear out of Vintage – it goes with anything!
Day 9 – Mistress
Mistress is a classic, very bright scarlet red, with a slight orange undertone and a high shine finish. I’m not the biggest fan of orange varnishes so I wasn’t too keen on this when I first saw it, but once I applied it I instantly changed my mind. I think shades like this can look a bit tacky sometimes, but because Ciate is such good quality, it actually looks really beautiful on. The only issue I have with this is that it stained my skin when I removed it! You can see evidence of the staining around my cuticles on the photo below…
Day 10 – Ladylike Luxe & Day 11 – Bumble Bee Caviar Pearls
Ladylike Luxe is a shimmery yellow gold shade, and it’s the best gold varnish I’ve ever tried. For some reason, gold and silver varnishes tend to show up any imperfections on your nails (no matter how small) and though this one isn’t perfect, it definitely disguises imperfections more than any other metal colour I’ve used. Overall this is a fab varnish – very Christmassy!
The Bumble Bee Caviar Pearls consist of two different coloured pearls – black and yellowy gold. I gave myself a ring finger mani with them yesterday, and as you can see it turned out rather well for a first attempt! The pearls were very easy to use… You just pour them over your wet nail, press them down and leave them to set for 15-20 minutes. I absolutely love how they look and feel, but they haven’t lasted very well. This morning when I woke up I noticed that the colour on the gold pearls had faded/rubbed off slightly, and after 24 hours a lot of the beads have already fallen off. I’m not sure how long they’re supposed to last, but I thought it’d be longer than a day!
Day 12 – Twilight
Last but not least, today’s varnish is Twilight – a black base with a gold fleck shimmer running through it, which also looks greeny brown depending on the light. I have a feeling this was intended to go with the Bumble Bee Caviar Pearls, and indeed it is a great match. A gorgeous, classy shade to round off the week.
Which one of this week’s minis is your favourite?
Don’t forget, you can read Part 1 of my Ciate Mini Mani Month Round-Up here. Check back next Tuesday for Part 3!
Naomi x
Winterlicious Tag Post
8Last week I was tagged in a Winterlicious Tag Post by the lovely Proper Sweetie (you should check out her blog, it’s awesome). I really enjoy doing posts like this every now and then, so I have finally got round to answering the tag questions, and will be tagging a few of you at the end. So, if you’d like to answer the questions yourself, please feel free!
1) Favourite winter nail polish?
My favourite nail polishes this winter are from the new Models Own Wonderland collection. They’re all SO pretty and glittery and perfect for Christmas, with their festive names. They remind me of snow and ice and Christmas decorations. I currently own three of the five – Jack Frost, Southern Lights and Northern Lights (which I reviewed here).
2) Favourite winter lip product?
Montagne Jeunesse’s Natural Beeswax Lip Balms have been life savers for me these last few months. I always get really sore, dry lips during the autumn and winter so I need to use a good lip balm every day to protect them. Montagne Jeunesse’s lip balms are really rich and moisturising, but not greasy, so they sit easy on the lips and do an amazing job. In fact, I forgot to use it for a couple of days and my lips got sore, but after a few applications of this lip balm my lips were as good as new. They come in a few different flavours as well which are suited to different lip problems.
3) Most worn winter clothing piece?
My purple shimmer Dr Martens boots. As you may have read in this post, I am a Dr Martens addict, and I always look forward to autumn and winter so I can get my big chunky boots out again. My purple ones are the classic 8-hole style boot and, without fail, they keep my feet warm and dry all winter. I love the colour and the shimmer factor – they’re just a little bit different to your normal winter boot!
4) Most worn winter accessory?
This year it has to be my cute Robin Print Snood! I bought it a couple of months ago from Primark for only £4, and I have been wearing it every day since under my coat. It’s made of quite thin fabric, but it’s really big so it wraps round nicely and is lovely and snuggly. The beauty of a snood is you can put it over your head without looking daft when it gets cold and you don’t have a hat/hood, but it also looks great accessorised with any outfit!
5) Favourite winter scent/candle?
At Christmas we tend to burn our usual Yankee candles, which always smell gorgeous, but yesterday my mum bought a cheap Glade candle from their winter collection and it’s divine! I do believe it was Spiced Apple scented.
6) Favourite winter beverage?
It has to be the classic hot chocolate or mulled wine. Although, I should hopefully be trying Chai Tea Latte soon which is lightly spiced, and I have a feeling that may become this year’s favourite winter beverage…
7) All time favourite Christmas/holiday movie?
The Polar Express! I have it on DVD and watch it every year. The end makes me cry every time, just because it’s so lovely, and it always gets me in the Christmas spirit. I want to watch it on Christmas Eve this year… I still believe!
8) Favourite Christmas/holiday song?
I hate to admit it but Last Christmas by Wham! is one of my ultimate guilty pleasures! Although, when I was a baby, the only song that would calm me down and put me to sleep was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, at any time of year
9) Favourite holiday food/treat?
This one is hard to answer as Christmas is a time for indulgence and there are SO many yummy things I love to eat at this time of year! One of my favourites though has to be Lebkuchen, a traditional German baked treat which is a cross between a biscuit and a cake. It tastes like cinnamon and ginger, is sprinkled with icing sugar and is best dipped in dark chocolate!
10) What is your favourite Christmas decoration this year?
We haven’t actually put our Christmas decorations up yet this year, but at the weekend my mum bought a real Christmas tree which is going to sit in a pot outside on our patio all year round It’s covered in solar-powered coloured lights at the minute and it looks lovely.
One of my old favourite Christmas decorations was a huge purple and silver glass bauble. I loved it for years, since I was tiny, but it broke a few years ago so we had to throw away Thinking about it going still makes me sad! RIP pretty purple bauble.
11) What’s at the top of your wish list?
In all honesty, I’ve been struggling to think of things I want for Christmas this year, so I just want a few nice surprises. Although a bat detector and a Batman onesie wouldn’t go amiss 😉 (Geeky as hell, I know).
12) What are your plans for the holidays this year?
This year, like every year, I will spend Christmas Eve with my dad, and Christmas Day at home with the rest of my family. We eat lots of food, play lots of games, and share gifts and laughs and generally have lots of fun. I love it!
The people I tag to answer these questions are…
Cowboys and Crossbones
Product Hoochie
Justlikeplasticine
RaRa Reid
Nocturnal Beauty
Happy Blogging!
Naomi x